When you need to be absent from work to deal with health issues, the last thing you want to have to worry about is job security. Unfortunately, in an employment-at-will state like Indiana, jobs are rarely very secure to begin with. However, the Family and Medical Leave Act is intended to give you some security when you are faced with illness or injury within your immediate family.
Under this act, you could be entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave for your own recovery or to look after your child, spouse or parent. However, something that not everyone realizes is that there is no obligation to use the entire period up at once. For example, if you had a session of treatment once every six weeks, you may want to take a week off to recover, then return to work for the five remaining weeks until the next appointment.
Of course, this does not always sit favorably with employers and they may attempt to make things more difficult for you. Perhaps they will try to hold you to higher standards or even try to find excuses to dismiss you. Fortunately, this sort of retaliatory behavior is completely illegal, so if it happens to you, it is time to take action.
Our page on FMLA rights has further information on what to expect when you take medical leave. You may also benefit from the advice of an attorney if you feel your rights have been breached and you would like to make a claim.
